Parkview Pharmacy Los Angeles
The Parkview Pharmacy Los Angeles property was recently sold to a new owner. The pharmacy was a fabled institution in the South Los Angeles neighborhood for over fifty years. The business was opened by Leo Lewis and Hudson Smith in 1966 and closed its doors in December 2020. The remaining inventory was sold to the community members and longtime customers. Many of former patrons were teary-eyed and nostalgic about the ending of an era of the friendly personalized retail business.
Parkview Pharmacy Los Angeles History
The Parkview Pharmacy Los Angeles harkened back to the days when the pharmacist knew everyone’s name and they would cure their ills, as well as be a role model for the young people. One of those youngsters, named Rocio Carlos, wrote the “Unfolding the History of Parkview Pharmacy” in 1998. Mr. Carlos gave first hand accounts of the special relationship that Mr. Smith and Mr. Lewis had with the South Los Angeles community. Their business hired people without experience because “how can you get experience without experience.” Mr. Lewis explained, “We purposely tend to pick employees with no experience so that we may train them how we want”. The store’s priority was to be kind and helpful towards the customers. According to Mr. Carlos, “they deal with different kinds of costumers-nice, mean, educated, and, rude, but they were always polite with everyone.”
Several generations of family worked at the Parkview Pharmacy and it was also a hangout for the folks in the neighborhood. A comfy sofa was even provided for those who wanted to lounge for a bit longer and enjoy their soda pop out of a glass bottle from the vintage Pepsi vending machine. Long after most family-owned pharmacies were replaced by corporate chains, the Parkview Pharmacy remained a throwback that was treasured by the community. On January 1, 2018, Hudson Smith passed away at the age of 76. He was survived by his widow, Nancy Smith who remained actively involved in the business. After losing his longtime partner, Mr. Lewis continued to run the business for another three years and remained loyal to the Smith family. He preserved the Parkview Pharmacy legacy for as long as he could, but the time had come for a new era. Mr. Lewis retired and the entire property including the gated parking lot was listed for sale.
Parkview Pharmacy Property Sale
The property is located on southeast corner 95th Street and Main Street in the city of Los Angeles. It was originally built in 1927 and was expanded towards the rear after Leo Lewis and Hudson Smith took ownership.The exterior of the Parkview Pharmacy features a mural of African-American icons and vintage neon signs. The interior boasts original shelving and display fixtures that still remain.
The Parkview Pharmacy property, located at 9500 Main Street in Los Angeles, was sold in May of 2021 to Toi Davis Marin. Ms. Marin was a former customer of the pharmacy and intends to operate the retail building as a beauty supply shop and convenience store. Jon Varsano of Vars Real Estate represented the sellers, the Lewis and Smith families. Carlos Alverez of Alverez Real Estate represented the buyer with transaction coordination by Teresa Benitez. Everyone wishes the new owners well and hopes they can continue the tradition of being a hub for the community.
Links
Unfolding the History of Parkview Pharmacy
